Osama tried to watch 9/11 bombings live on TV

Published: Friday, April 16, 2010, 12:27 [IST]

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London, Apr 16(ANI): Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's former bodyguard has revealed that the militant leader had tried and failed to set up a satellite TV link-up from his Afghan hideout to watch the 9/11 terror attacks as they happened.

Nasser al-Bahri said his former master had requested a satellite dish to be installed in his hideout in Kandahar.

"He asked for satellite TV to be able to follow the bombing," The Telegraph quoted al-Bahri, as saying.

However, due to the rugged, mountainous terrain, he was not able to get a signal and so failed to view the planes striking the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York.

He further claims that the Al-Qaeda leader is still alive, and he might be under tribal protection in Waziristan.

"His death, even if it was not announced immediately for internal reasons, would end up being known in jihadist circles and on the Internet," al-Bahri said.

"(The tribes') allegiance is more religious than tribal, which is a bonus for bin Laden, who built them roads and houses twenty years ago," he added.

On September 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda terrorists had intentionally hijacked and crashed two planes into the twin towers, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings.

Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others.

The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon, just outside Washington D.C. fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington D.C.

There were no survivors from any of the flights, and 2,973 people died as a result of the attacks, including nationals of over 70 countries. (ANI)